A busy woman
by NancyMay
Summary: A one shot based on experience, seasonal. Fluffy and domestic. Enjoy and Seasons Greetings to one and all!


A little, domestic, seasonal story, based on experience. Enjoy!

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This was ridiculous! Why on earth had she agreed to help? She must be mad!

Fabric lay all over the dining room, white cotton, Madonna blue, reds and golds, brown and grey wools.

At first, Father Emery had asked her to make a costume for a seven year old 'Mary' and an eight year old 'Joseph', just the two and she had agreed. Well why not? The idea of a Nativity Tableau at one of the Christmas services was endearing. Then it had grown. Could she possibly make an 'Angel Gabriel,' aged eleven. Oh dear, some mother's had complained their children weren't chosen for the tableau; could she please make six more angels, three kings and seven shepherds? Of course she could, she was a goddess with a needle; the best in Ballarat. Did she have a choice? Not likely. Her sewing machine was an old treadle one, not really up to the job anymore, but she couldn't afford a new one. She crossed her fingers and sent a silent prayer to the patron saint of needlewomen, there must be one!

Lucien turned his key in the door and stepped over the threshold. He could hear the rhythmic tick, tick, tick of Jean's sewing machine coming from the room she used for sewing these days. He wondered what was being created this time.

'Drat!' Jean cried, the thread had snapped again!

Lucien peered round the door, having heard her spit the word.

'Oh dear,' he whispered, not really for her ears. 'Trouble?' This time a little louder.

'This machine has seen better days,' she sighed, 'I don't think it's going to be able to take much more.'

'May I ask, my dear Jean,' he moved over to her, all the better to see what she was doing, not that he had a clue about sewing, 'what you are making?'

'I've landed myself with a whole set of costumes for a Nativity Tableau at Church.' She re-threaded the needle, 'it was only supposed to be the Holy Family, but...' She sat back in her chair and ran her hands through her hair, disrupting the curls and causing the front to escape from its pin and fall over her eye.

'What about the sewing circle, or the mothers?' He was surprised she was the only one sewing, 'surely some of them can sew?'

'You'd think so, wouldn't you? Sewing is still taught in school. But, it's 'Oh Jean you know you are better than the rest of us' and 'I really don't have the time.''

'Come on.' He held out his hand. She took it and he pulled her up on to her feet. He kissed her forehead. 'People always take advantage of a busy woman. My father always used to say 'If you want anything doing, ask a busy woman,' and it looks like they've taken him at his word.'

He pulled her out of the room, into the hall and helped her into her coat.

'Lucien! I can't go out like this, my hair...'

'...is lovely, as are you.' He pushed her out of the house and into the car.

'Where are we going?' She tried to pat her hair back into its usual neat state, but failed. Lucien just smiled. He drove into town and onto Lydiard Street, pulling up outside the shop where Jean usually bought her fabrics and sewing things. He'd wandered past the shop earlier in the day, on his way to a crime scene and in the window he'd noticed a new electric sewing machine. He knew nothing about sewing machines but if Jean's old machine was about to stop working...

Opening the passenger door courteously, he escorted her to the shop and inside.

'Good afternoon, Dr Blake,' The shop owner was a patient of Lucien's, 'what can I do for you?'

'Jean is in need of a new sewing machine...'

'Lucien!' She was aghast.

'As I said,' he stopped her, 'Jean is in need of a new sewing machine, and I see you have one in the window.'

'Oh yes, doctor, Mrs Blake; it's a very good make,' the woman replied, 'sturdy and easy to use.' She went to get it but Lucien stopped her.

'Let me help you, it looks weighty.' He leant into the window and pulled the machine towards him. It was indeed heavy, certainly from that angle of force.

The machine on the counter, Lucien moved out of the way so Jean could take a good look. It had the added function of a zig-zag stitch, as well as forward and reverse. It was a good machine, something she had wondered if she could ever afford. She flicked through the instruction manual, it seemed easy enough to use. Dare she allow her husband to buy her something like this. She still found it difficult to ask him for things she wanted, only married five months, it was still alien to her to ask her former employer for anything that would make her life easier. She'd always saved hard for what she considered luxury items.

'Any good?' He asked.

'It's a very good machine, Lucien.' She admitted, 'and easy to use, but...'

'Then you shall have it.' He grinned at her, he loved indulging her.

'Lucien,' she hissed, 'it's very expensive.'

'Well perhaps I'll ask the church for a contribution, after all, it's because you've got so much to do for the nativity that you need a new machine.' He had a wicked look in his eye, he knew that it would get round the needlewomen of Ballarat that Jean Blake had been bought a new machine because nobody else would help with the costumes!

'Dr Blake,' the shop owner drew him aside, she was one of those that had cried off helping, 'I think I could give you a good discount on the machine. Mrs Blake does an awful lot for the community.'

'Doesn't she just.' He smiled, the way he did when he wanted Jean to forgive him for some transgression. It rarely worked on her but others fell for it, as did this woman.

'Shall we say fifteen percent?' This meant cost price to her, but she reasoned to herself she lost nothing; she didn't gain either, but she was not out of pocket.

Lucien thought about this. It was a generous discount and probably left her breaking even, but he decided to be mercenary. Jean needed a new machine anyway, but it would not have been so urgent if she had not been left to carry the load for the church.

'I think,' he mused, 'that would be most acceptable.' He smiled, again.

Lucien carried the machine out to the car, followed by Jean, still astounded at what he had just done.

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Lucien left Jean in the dining room 'Playing with her new toy,' as he put it and went to get fish and chips for dinner. Charlie was away seeing family so it was just the two of them.

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Jean continued sewing after dinner and managed to finish all of the angels, at which point Lucien decided he wanted his wife back. She protested she had to finish Mary at least, but Lucien's answer was to pull the plug out of the socket and pull her out of her seat. He swept her off her feet and into the bedroom.

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Jean woke as the sun streamed through the curtains, alone! Rubbing her eyes she wondered where her husband could be. The phone hadn't rung during the night, at least she hadn't heard it but then, after a day's sewing and Lucien in bed...! She'd slept particularly deeply. She stretched and smiled at the memory of his love last night, he really was most attentive. The door opened and he appeared, smiling at the sight before him, she was adorable in the morning, curls everywhere and naked shoulder peeping enticingly from under the sheet, the curves of her slender body creating a landscape he never tired of exploring.

'Tea?' He brought a tray in, tea and toast. Breakfast in bed for Jean was almost decadent, even if it was just tea and toast.

'Mmm, lovely.' She sat up, holding the cover over her breasts and grinned. In spite of the workload she had that day she could indulge him indulging her.

Lucien was determined she should have a lie in, even though he knew she would protest that she had too much to do.

Jean finally was allowed to get up, she reminded him he had surgery that morning and it wouldn't do for the patients to find their doctor and his wife still in bed mid-morning.

She cooked a proper breakfast, and tidied up the kitchen before admitting the first of the patients. While surgery was in progress she was able to finish 'Mary' and 'Joseph'. All she had left was three kings and the shepherds. The shepherds were easier than the kings so she decided to get on with them first. A fairly basic garment in the brown and grey wools, they were finished quickly, due to the new machine Lucien had bought her.

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Morning surgery over Jean prepared a light lunch for the two of them. As they sat at the table Lucien asked how the sewing was going.

'Very well,' Jean smiled. 'The new machine makes everything much easier and faster. thank you so much, Lucien.'

'Much left?'

'Just the three kings.' Jean got up and took her plate to the sink, sliding it into the water.

'Can I do anything?'

'Pardon?!' Why would Lucien want to help her in a needlework project? But...She could certainly find him something to do. The kings needed crowns and that was more of a craft project than a sewing one.

'Well, I thought...' What he thought was Jean did too much for the people of Ballarat without much thanks.

'Darling, if I show you what I want, do you think you could make the king's crowns for me?' She smiled, the kind of smile he used on her. It didn't work on her, but it did work when she used it on him!

'I'll do my best.' He got up and kissed her on his way to the sink.

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In the dining room Jean showed Lucien what she wanted and how he could achieve it. He saluted her and went to the end of the table opposite his beloved.

Jean set to, joining richly coloured fabrics into children sized king's robes. She had a colour scheme for each king, one red, one purple and one gold. From relatively inexpensive material she made opulent garments that amazed Lucien.

They finished late in the afternoon. Jean was happy with Lucien's crowns. Well actually she was really quite amazed at his skill. Then again he could put a body back together so maybe he had approached this in the same way.

She stretched, got up from her seat and hung the robes on waiting hangers, with the rest of the costumes.

As she returned to the table Lucien grabbed her and pulled her onto his knee.

'Well, I think that should do it for the next ten years.' He kissed her firmly on the lips.

'Oh I do hope so.' Jean sounded relieved, she would have far too much to do in the future to be making nativity costumes.

'Got another project planned?' He asked.

'Baby clothes!' She kissed him back before he had time to take a breath at this surprising announcement.

She pulled his hand, gently and placed it over her lower abdomen.

'Jean, really?' He didn't believe it, he was going to be a father again.

'June, I think.' She had not known how to tell him and this had turned out to be the best way, for her. She'd had a month to reconcile herself to the fact she was going to be a mother again, and this time she determined she was going to get it right!

Lucien stared at her, then kissed her again and again and again!

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Nativity costumes: been there, seen it, done it, got the 'T' shirt!


End file.
